System for conserving battery life in a battery operated device

• US 20070135179A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hardman, Molly, Grush, Ronald, Floyd, Brett, Loudin, Philip, Przygocki, David, Wilson, Paul, Coombs, David, Pyne, John, Hardman, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre

Abstract

An electronic tire maintenance system is provided for measuring a parameter of a device at a first location. The system includes a sensor for measuring the device parameter and generating a data signal representing the measured parameter. The system also includes a microprocessor coupled to the sensor for activating the sensor on a first periodic basis to measure the device parameter. The microprocessor includes a memory for storing the generated data signal representing the measured parameter. A transmitter and a receiver are coupled to the microprocessor. The microprocessor periodically partially awakens to determine, on a second periodic basis, if a received transmission is a valid interrogation signal and, if so, fully awakens and responds to the valid interrogation signal, via the transmitter, by at least transmitting the last stored measured parameter. In one embodiment, the device is a tire tag mounted inside a tire that measures tire data and transmits that data to a remote source in response to an interrogation request, an alert condition, or automatically on a periodic basis.

Claims

1. A system for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

a receiver for receiving a transmission that includes a postamble; and

a microprocessor coupled to the receiver, the microprocessor periodically partially awakening to determine whether the transmission is likely a FLP by examining the postamble.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the postamble is Manchester encoded.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the postamble includes a predetermined number of transitions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor determines whether the transmission is likely a FLP by determining if the transmission includes a predetermined number of transitions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to collect data from a sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery operated device includes a transmitter.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the postamble shortens the amount of time that the transmitter is ON.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the postamble increases the amount of time between the FLP and a RLP sent from the battery operated device, allowing the battery operated device enough time to stabilize its transmitter on an appropriate return link channel.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the transmitter is turned ON only in response to a valid FLP.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the transmitter uses a successive approximation routine to obtain data from one device out of a plurality of devices.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery operated device only responds to a valid FLP having a specific identification number associated with the device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery operated device includes a transmitter having a phase locked loop (PLL).

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the postamble increases the amount of time that the battery operated device has to obtain a PLL lock on an appropriate return link channel.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the postamble shortens the amount of time that the PLL is ON.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the PLL is turned ON only in response to a valid FLP.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the microprocessor first examines a beginning portion of the FLP and, if that portion indicates that the transmission appears to be a valid FLP, turns on the PLL, and then reads the rest of the FLP to determine whether the FLP is valid.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the battery operated device turns OFF the PLL if the FLP is invalid.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the postamble reduces the amount of time the PLL is ON, thereby saving battery power when the battery operated device is not in the presence of a valid FLP.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the postamble increases the amount of time between the FLP and a RLP from the battery operated device, allowing the battery operated device enough time to obtain a PLL lock on an appropriate return link channel.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery operated device only responds to the transmission if it is a valid FLP.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the postamble shortens the amount of time that the receiver is ON.

22. A system for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

a receiver for receiving a transmission that includes a postamble; and

a microprocessor coupled to the receiver, the microprocessor periodically partially awakening to determine whether the transmission is likely a FLP by turning ON the receiver only long enough to determine if the transmission includes a predetermined number of transitions.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the microprocessor fully awakens to determine whether the transmission is a valid FLP by examining at least a portion of the FLP data.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the postamble includes a stream of logical zeros.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the postamble includes a stream of logical ones.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the ostamble begins with a stream of logical zeros and ends with a logical one.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the transition from logical zero to logical one signifies the end of the valid FLP.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the postamble begins with a stream of logical ones and ends with a logical zero.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the battery operated device includes a transmitter.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the postamble increases the amount of time between the FLP and a RLP from the battery operated device, allowing the battery operated device enough time to stabilize its transmitter on an appropriate return link channel.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the transmitter is turned ON only in response to a valid FLP.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the battery operated device includes a transmitter having a phase locked loop (PLL).

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the postamble increases the amount of time that the battery operated device has to obtain a PLL lock on an appropriate return link channel.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the postamble shortens the amount of time that the PLL is ON.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the microprocessor first examines a beginning portion of the FLP and, if that portion indicates that the transmission appears to be a valid FLP, turns on the PLL, and then reads the rest of the FLP to determine whether the FLP is valid.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the battery operated device turns OFF the PLL if the FLP is invalid.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the PLL is turned ON only in response to a valid FLP.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the postamble reduces the amount of time the PLL is ON, thereby saving battery power when the battery operated device is not in the presence of a valid FLP.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the postamble increases the amount of time between the FLP and a RLP from the battery operated device, allowing the battery operated device enough time to obtain a PLL lock on an appropriate return link channel.

40. The system of claim 22, wherein the postamble shortens the amount of time that the transmitter is ON.

41. The system of claim 22, wherein the battery operated device only responds to the transmission if it is a valid FLP.

42. The system of claim 22, wherein the postamble shortens the amount of time that the receiver is ON.

43. The system of claim 22, wherein the FLP is Manchester encoded.

44. A method for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

receiving a wireless transmission;

periodically partially awakening; and

determining if the wireless transmission is likely a FLP by determining if the transmission includes a valid postamble.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the postamble is valid if it includes a predetermined number of transitions.

46. The method of claim 44, further including fully awakening to determine whether the transmission is a valid FLP by examining at least a portion of the FLP data.

47. The method of claim 46, further including responding to the valid FLP via a transmitter.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein a valid postamble increases the amount of time between the FLP and a RLP sent from the battery operated device, allowing the battery operated device enough time to stabilize its transmitter on an appropriate return link channel.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the battery operated device includes a transmitter having a phase locked loop (PLL).

50. The method of claim 49, wherein a valid postamble increases the amount of time that the battery operated device has to obtain a PLL lock on an appropriate return link channel.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein a valid postamble shortens the amount of time that the PLL is ON.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein a valid postamble reduces the amount of time the PLL is ON, thereby saving battery power when the battery operated device is not in the presence of a valid FLP.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein a valid postamble increases the amount of time between the FLP and a RLP from the battery operated device, allowing the battery operated device enough time to obtain a PLL lock on an appropriate return link channel.

54. A method for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

targeting a specific device out of a plurality of devices;

transmitting a transmission that includes a postamble;

awakening to a first state to determine whether the transmission is likely a FLP by examining the postamble; and

awakening to a second state if the transmission is likely a FLP.

55. The method of claim 54, further including determining whether the FLP is valid.

56. The method of claim 55, further including responding to the valid FLP.